Tuesday morning briefing: Show time and a tax scam

Good morning, and welcome to the Clovis Media, Inc. Tuesday morning briefing.

And Bingo was the show … oh: The Clovis Community College Cultural Arts Series is bringing “The Queen of Bingo,” hailed as a play in the style of “The Carol Burnett Show.”

The show is 7 p.m. March 21 at Marshall Auditorium. Tickets are $17 general admission and $12 for students, military and senior citizens. They will be avaiable at the CCC cashier window, the Clovis-Curry County Chamber of Commerce and Cannon Air Force Base’s ITT office. It tickets are remaining, they will be available at the door.

Information: 769-4035.

Game time: It’s time for the weekly video game spotlight from Jenna Zamie, newsroom employee and video game enthusiast:

Game: Binary Domain

Genre: Shooter

System: 360, PS3

What is it? A squad-based shooter by the creator of the Yakuza series.

ESRB Rating: Mature

Web site: http://www.binarydomaingame.com

Compiled from Gamespot.com

Tax return warning: The Internal Revenue Service is warning New Mexico residents of an emerging tax refund scam.

The scheme, also reported in California, Georgia, Michigan, Louisiana, Alabama and Indiana, involves promoters claiming a tax refund or stimulus payment through the American Opportunity Tax Credit, even if the victim was not enrolled in or paying for college.

People targeted usually have little to no income and are not normally required to file a federal income tax return.

“Most of these scams involve promoters who prey upon people in need, building false hopes. When victims’ claims are rejected, their money and the promoters are long gone,” said IRS spokesperson Bill Brunson. “We want to warn the public to be on guard and stop this new scheme before more innocent people are victimized.”

For advice on choosing a competent tax professional, Brunson advises the Tips for Choosing a Tax Return Preparer page on IRS.gov.

Today in history: On this day in 1857, the United States Supreme Court issues a decision in the Dred Scott case, affirming the right of slave owners to take their slaves into the Western territories, thereby negating the doctrine of popular sovereignty and severely undermining the platform of the newly created Republican Party.

At the heart of the case was the most important question of the 1850s: Should slavery be allowed in the West? As part of the Compromise of 1850, residents of newly created territories could decide the issue of slavery by vote, a process known as popular sovereignty. When popular sovereignty was applied in Kansas in 1854, however, violence erupted. Americans hoped that the Supreme Court could settle the issue that had eluded a congressional solution.

Weather: The outlook from KVII-TV’s Shelly Sites: “ It will continue to feel very spring-like across the region today as we’ll see another unseasonably warm, and a very windy day across the area.” High of 88, low of 45.